Education Data: A Data User Story

We received a timely data user story focused on the Department of Education’s data, especially the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The data user wrote,

“I work with students navigating the college application process. The IPEDS data is the underlying data set for multiple platforms that high schools, community-based organizations, and individuals like me use to find colleges that fit particular student needs. The federal government-run College Scorecard and College Navigator are free. A number of other platforms offer additional functionality and are subscription-based. Without IPEDS data, reliable key information that helps me help students find appropriate higher education options would be much harder, possibly impossible, to source. In addition, nearly all U.S. high schools offer college search capability to students (and manage relevant document handling) through subscription platforms that rely on IPEDS data. Many of those users are likely unaware that IPEDS is the source data underpinning the tools they use. Loss of IPEDS data would impact high school students and school staff across the country.”

The Data Rescue Project focused on the Department of Education data early in February because we were concerned about future actions against the agency. IPEDS is such a valuable resource that we submitted it to ICPSR’s DataLumos (https://www.datalumos.org/datalumos/project/218981/version/V1/view). Older IPEDS data are also available through the central ICPSR archive: https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/ICPSR/series/102.

We at the DRP know the value of this data for our patrons, for the public, and for the future. We encourage you to talk with everyone about how you use public data, and we would love to hear from you. Fill out our form to make your voice heard.

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